1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to dispensers for fluids, specifically to a dispenser that measures and dispenses a pre-selectable volume of fluid from a standard reservoir by means of tilting.
2. Background Discussion of Prior Art
There is often a need to measure and dispense a pre-selectable quantity of fluid from a standard storage container such as a jar made of glass or plastic. The fluid might be either a liquid such as vinegar, detergent, or medicine, or a flowable granular material such as sugar, spice, grain, or soap.
The prior art describes a variety of devices that store, measure and dispense fluid. Each device generally is constructed to have a container with a storage reservoir area, a measuring chamber, a conduit connecting the reservoir area to the measuring chamber, and a spout that guides measured fluid out from the measuring chamber to a desired location. The fluid is measured by manipulating the device either by tilting the container, opening a valve, squeezing the flexible container walls, or a combination thereof so that some volume of fluid is moved from the storage reservoir area to the measuring chamber. The fluid in the measuring chamber is then dispensed out the spout by squeezing or tilting the container and/or opening a cap or a valve. These devices of prior art are inconvenient in that they either dispense only a single fixed volume of fluid, they require visual attention and dexterity to manipulate the device, they measure the volume inaccurately, or they are intended for use only with liquid or with granular fluids but not both.
The dispensing container device in U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,143 to Goodrich, Feb. 15, 1966 has an internal measuring chamber (26) which is open at its top. The measuring chamber (26) is filled with fluid when the device is tilted back. An internal shelf (18) directs fluid from the measuring chamber (26) out through a spout (16) when the device is subsequently tilted forward. Although this device is adequate for repeatedly measuring and dispensing a certain fixed volume of fluid, it is inconvenient in that it can not dispense an adjustable or selectable volume of fluid.
Two devices in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,800,257 to Nixon, Jul. 23, 1957 and 3,029,002 to Gregoire, Apr. 10, 1962 provide measuring chambers of adjustable volumes and thereby the improvement of selectability of a desired volume of fluid to be dispensed. However, they are intended to be used only to dispense granular fluids and are not intended for use with liquids.
Nixon's dispenser, incorporated by reference herein, has a vertical cylindrical measuring chamber (2) that attaches by a friction fit to the top of a standard can in which coffee is purchased. The dispensed volume is preselected by adjusting the elevation of the ceiling (3) of the measuring chamber (2). When the device is inverted, coffee flows by gravity from the can into the measuring chamber (2). As the device is then returned to a vertical orientation, it is intended that the measured fluid residing in the measuring chamber (2) falls out a notch (12) on the side of the measuring chamber (2). The utility of this device is diminished because the volume of fluid that is dispensed is unpredictable. Excess fluid can spill from the measuring chamber (2) out the notch (12) as the device is tilted forward into the measuring position and more excess fluid can spill from the coffee can into the measuring chamber (2) and out the notch (12) as the device is tilted back from the measuring position to the dispensing position.
Gregoire's dispenser improves on Nixon's by measuring an accurate volume of fluid but is not intended to dispense liquids. Gregoire's dispenser is also awkward to use because it requires considerable dexterity and attention to operate. The dispenser attaches by threaded connection to the mouth of a standard jar. It has a horizontal cylindrical measuring chamber (20) whose volume can be pre-adjusted by moving a stick (19) to partially fill the measuring chamber (20). The dispenser is operated by inverting the device and holding it thus while rotating the measuring chamber (20) about its axis. When the measuring chamber (20) is positioned so that its opening communicates with the interior of the jar, fluid fills and covers the measuring chamber. The fluid residing in the measuring chamber is then dispensed by maintaining the device in the inverted position and rotating the measuring chamber (20) so that it communicates with the exterior of the container, at which time fluid residing in the measuring chamber (20) falls out and is dispensed. This device is inconvenient because two hands must be used to operate the device, one hand for inverting and holding the container while the other hand adjusts the measured volume and then twists the measuring chamber (20) to measure and dispense.